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Tuesday, January 14, 2014

A Flower Hair Clip


I had a memory today. A hair clip. I held it in my hand today squeezing the hard wood painted flower. I never wore the clip. Though it is beautiful, it is too big for my slippery hair. I love it though. Mostly for its memory and less for its looks.

I had a memory today. A scarf. I held it in my hand today squeezing the softness and smelling the sweetness. I never wore the scarf. Though it is beautiful,it is too square to wear around my neck. I love it though. Mostly for its memory and less for its looks.

I had a memory today. A story. I held it in my hand today squeezing it to remind me of the real words that are sprinkled on the blue paper. I wrote the story. It was the first story I remember thinking, "this is beautiful." I wear that story. I love it. Mostly for its memory and less for its looks.

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Monday Morning Message
STAFF MEETING ON TUESDAY: Bring in a sentimental item. 

I wonder. Hmmmm. Writing prompt maybe? What on earth am I going to take with me of sentimental value? Someone suggests my wedding ring. I already have it. No cause for concern that I might forget something. But, that seems too easy.

Monday Evening

"Ugh, I have to find something for my staff meeting that is sentimental," I tell my husband. 
He is engrossed in his own work and says something like, "That's nice."
Sigh. 

I go to the basement. Suddenly it hits me. I recently put all of our extra linens in an old entertainment center we re-purposed in our laundry room. Perfect, I know I just put my grandmother's old scarves in there. The scarves she would wear on her head while battling cancer. They still smell like her.

Wait, I think...didn't I write a story in college about her death? I look in my desk drawer...WHALAH! It appears as though it was meant to be read. 
I sit and read the story I drafted back in college while doing a writing exercise of sorts. Mist fills my eyes. As I read I am reminded of a flower hair clip that I reference in the story. I was holding it in the gift shop when my mother came to get me and tell me my grandmother had died.

Huh? I wonder where that hair clip is? I go on a search yet again. I know I have it but have no idea where it could be. I open my trunk of kept things. Moving two teddy bears, some newspaper clippings there is a small basket with a frog lock on the front. I easily open the basket, the frog lock useless. There it is. Like someone took me to it; the clip is in my hand, I squeeze it, the leaves of the wooden flower cut into my skin a bit. This is my sentimental item that holds a story inside its petals.

12 comments:

  1. Beautiful! Your post reminded me about my grandmother's church scarf. Maybe there is a story as well.

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  2. Love the poem and the little journey through memory that you shared remembering her in your heart.

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  3. Sounds like your grandmother was with you all day. Your love for her comes out beautifully in your post.
    Bernadette

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  4. Love this writing for us and the way you led us through to the important part, that memory of your grandmother. Beautiful words, Betsy. And how great an idea about the sharing of a memory. Thank you for taking time to write.

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  5. Betsy - this is so beautifully written. Thanks for sharing your memories with us. I just love all of this - brought tears to my eyes and my own memories to my mind. Thank you.

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  6. Just wonderful writing--I love the weft and the warp as you weave the artifacts into story. Beautiful is so important--so much more important than mere things. Thanks for the reminder and for your words.

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  7. I'm so overcome by the beauty of this piece. The poetic flow of the first part and the prose of the second. Plus the message about getting closer to your grandmother even though she's gone. Wow, Betsy.

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  8. I love the way you structured this piece, Betsy. The first part is given so much power by the second. Truly a lovely slice.

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  9. What a beautiful memory that is so touching. The introductory materials lead beautifully into the text, almost as if poetry meets prose.

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  10. Betsy, you crafted this piece so beautifully. It tugs at my heart in all the right places, makes me smile and misty too. It unfolds and wraps around me as I read it. It's lovely, "mostly for it's memory and less for its looks."

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  11. The first part is so exquisite. The repetition takes me deeper into the experience. The second part explains where the thoughts came from and makes the piece even more beautiful. Lovely, Betsy.

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  12. Wow. Bloglovin (replacement for Google reader) shows only few first words, so I was not ready to such a change from a sweet little hair clip to your deep going memories. I was already impressed with the first part of your slice, but then there was more masterfully crafted writing.

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Thanks for the comment love!